Curb and gutter form assembly



@et E7, 96? J. P. YATES CURB AND GUTTER FORM ASSEMBLY Filed March l2, 1965 NVENTOR.

JAMES P. YATES BY l A 'l vTOR N15 Y United States Patent O M CURB AND GUTTER FORM ASSEMBLY James P. Yates, Silver Hill, Md., assgnor to Gly Construction Corporation, Silver Hill, Md.4 Filed Mar. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 439,311 7 Claims. (Cl. 249-2) 'Ihis invention relates to curb and gutter form assemblies and more particularly, to a bridge member for supporting a face rail between a curb rail and a gutter rail.

Heretofore, many types of form assemblies have been proposed for the construction of concrete curbs and gutters. While these forms have been satisfactory for their intended purposes, they have been openito certain objections. One type of form commonly used includes dividing plates which cause the resultant linished curb and gutter to have joints spaced either closer or further apart than the authorized limits required by Federal,` State or local regulations.

Other types of curb and gutter form assemblies have included numerous moving parts, such as cam actuated clamps for securing the backboard, faceboard and gutterboard in place.' These types of forms, as well as all types of curb and gutter-forms, are always subject to moisture not only due to inclement weather but also from water used on the job site to cure the concrete curb and gutter. Due to this exposure to moisture, these forms become quickly corroded and rusted thereby causing the various moving parts to become jammed and inoperative with the result that many man-hours are lost while cleaning and lubricating the forms to place them once again in working order. K

Other types of forms are characterized by their complicated design thereby requiring the services of highly skilled workmen to properly set up the forms to meetstandard requirements as to alignment and uniformity.

After considerable reasearch Vand experimentation, the curb and gutter form assembly of the present invention has been devised to overcome the above-noted disadvantages in hitherto employed forms. The curb and 'gutter form assembly of the .present invention comprises, essentially, a bridge extending between andsecured to a curb rail and a gutter-rail, the medial portion of the bridge being provided with a hook member to which a face rail is rigidly secured without necessitating the use of clamping means.

An object of the invention is to provide and improved curb andV gutter form assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide anv improved curb and gutter form assembly wherein a bridge member carrying a face rail extends between and is secured to a curb rail and a gutter rail.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved bridge for use in a curb and gutter `form assembly wherein the bridge is adapted to releasably carry a face rail without requiring the use of clamping means.

Yet still another object of the invention isl to provide an improved curb and gutter form assembly characterized by its simplicity and ruggedness in construction and having no moving parts thus not likely to get out of order even after long and continued use.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements, comprising my invention, may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, with departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limit- ICC FIGURE 2 is an end elevational View, partially insection, of the curb and gutter form assembly; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective 'view of the bridge member employed in the form assembly. Y Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES land 2, the curb and gutter form assemblyv ofthe present invention comprises, a bridge 1 carrying a face rail 2, said bridge extending between and being secured to spaced parallel curb or back railv 3 and gutter or front rail 4.

kCurb rail 3 comprises a channel member having a web portion 3a integrally connected between outwardly extending flanges 3b, said flanges being provided with apertures 3c which are adapted to selectively receive stakes 5 or the end of the bridge, to be described more fully hereinafter. G utte r rail fl is similar in construction to the curb rail and comprises a channel member having a web portion 4a integrally connecte/lh to flanges 4b, the flangesbeing provided with apertures 4c adapted to selectively receive stakes' or the opposite end of the bridge.

Bridge 1 comprises amain frame 7, having bifurcated armsl 8 and 9 depending from either end thereof, the inner legs 8a and 9a of each bifurcated arm being adapted to be inserted within apertures 3c and 4c formed in the anges 3b and 4b ofthe curb and gutter rails, respectively, while the outer legs l8b and 9b of eachbifurcated Varm extend over the outer edge ofthe flanges, the bifurcated arms-being further providedwith apertures 8c and 9c adapted to receive a suitable tool to facilitate the removal of the legs lfrom the .channel members when dismantling the form assembly. n p

The bridge isV also provided with a depending hook member 10 having a shankportion 10a.disposed at an angle of approximately 10 from the vertical, the upper end of the shank being rigidly secured to the main frame in the vicinity of the` medial portion thereof, the lower end of the shank being provided with a bight portion 10b which extends upwardly terminating in a leg portion 10c' which is parallel to the` shank portion 10a. A re` entrant portion 10d is formed between the upper end of the leg portions and the shank portion for receiving the upper edge 2a of the face rail which is C-shaped in cross-section, thelower edge 2b of the face rail being adapted to extend around the bight portion 10b of the hook member. By the 'construction and arrangement of the hook member 10 and face rail 2, the. face rail is rigidly held on the hook member by means of the edges 2a and 2b, engaging the upper end of the hook leg portion 10c and bight portion 10b, respectively, whereby the portion of the face rail intermediate the ends thereof abuts the leg portion 10c` and is disposed at the same angle from the vertical as the leg portion which in turn determines the angle of the curb face with respect to the vertical.

To assemble the curb and gutter form of the present invention, the curb rail 3 and gutter rail 4 are positioned in spaced, parallel, relationship and held in an upright position on the ground 11 by means of stakes 5 and 6. A plurality of spaced bridges 1 are then positioned transversely to the rails and secured thereto by inserting inner legs 8a and 9a into apertures 3c and 4c, respectively, formed in upper flanges of the rails. The face rail 2 is then rigidly secured to the hook member by first placing the upper edge 2a of the face rail over the upper end of the leg portion 10c and then forcing the lower end 2b Patented Oct. 17, 1967 i of the face rail around the bight portion b of the hook memberfWith the form so assembled the concrete is then poured and levelled to kforni the curb 12 and gutter 13 while the face rail forms the curb face 14. Y

From the above description, it will be readily appre' ciated that a simple curb and gutter form has been provided which can be easily assembled without requiring the services of highly skilled, workmen; thus, by rigidly securing the hook member 10 to the bridge at a predetermined location on the main frame 7, and by disposing the hook member at the proper angle to the vertical, once the bridge is mounted between the curb and gutter rails, no other adjustment is needed and by holding the face rail 2 on the hook member by frictional engagement, no additional clamping means are required. Furthermore, the openings 3c and 4c usually formed in the flanges of conventional channel shaped curb' and gutter rails are adapted to selectively receive the stakes 5 and 6 or the inner legs 8a and 9a of the bridge; thus, additional clamping means are not required to secure the bridge to the rails.'

While the bridge of the present invention has been de scribed for use on spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending curb, face and gutter rails, it will also function equally well on curved rails employed in forming street corner curbs and gutters.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as

it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A curb and gutter form of thelcharacter described, comprising a curb rail, a gutter rail positioned in spaced, parallel relationship with respect to said curb rail, a bridge extending transversely to and secured to said gutter and curb rails, the ends of said bridge being insertable within said curb and gutter rails, said bridge including a hook `member depending therefrom for carrying a face rail, said hook member comprising a shank portion secured to the bridge in the vicinity of the medial portion thereof and disposed at an angle to the vertical, the lower end of the shank portion terminating in a bight portion, said bight portion extending upwardly `and terminating in a leg portion, said leg portion being parallel to said shank portion; the face rail being substantially C-shaped in crosssection, the upper edge of said face rail extending over theend of said leg portion, the lower end. portion of said rail extending around and engaging said bight portion, and the web portion of the face rail abutting the leg portion, whereby the face rail is disposed at the same angle to the vertical as the shank portion.

2. A curb and gutter form of the character described, comprising, a curb rail, a gutter rail positioned in spaced, parallel relationshipv with ,respect to said curb rail, a bridge extending transversely to and secured to said gutter and `curb rails, said bridge comprising a main frame, a depending arm secured to each end of said main frame, bifurcations formed on the end of each arm; the lcurb and gutter rails comprising oppositely disposed channel members, the web portions of each channel member being positioned in a vertical plane' and the flanges of each channel being positioned in spaced, horizontal planes, apertures formed in said flanges, one leg of each bifurcation being inserted in the aperture formed in the upper ange of each channel member, said bridge including a hook member depending therefrom, and a face rail carried by said hook member.

3. A curb and gutter form according to claim 2, wherein the hook member includes a shank portion secured to the main frame in the vicinity of the medial portion thereof and disposed at an angle to the vertical, said face railebeing disposed at the same angle to the vertical as the shank portion.

4. A curb and gutter form according to claim 3, wherein the lower end of the shank portion terminates in a bight portion, said bight portion extending upwardly and terminating in a leg portion, said leg portion being parallel to said shank portion; the face railbeing substantially C-shaped in cross-section, the upper edge of said face rail extending over the end of said leg portion, the lower end portion of said rail extending around said bight portion.

5. A bridge of the character described for use in a f curbfand gutter formassembly, comprising a main frame, a depending hook member adapted to carry a face rail, said hook member being secured to said main frame in the vvicinity of the medial portion thereof, a depending arm connected to each end of said main frame, and bih1rcations formed on the lower ends of each arm, whereby the Ainner leg of each bifurcation is adapted to be inserted in apertures formed in the curb and gutter rails of the form assembly.

6. A bridge according to claim 5, wherein the hook member comprises a shank portion, a bight portion and a leg portion, the upper end of said, shank portion beingv secured to said main frame, the lower end of said shank portion being connected to one end of said bight portion,

the opposite end of said bight portion extending upwardly and being connected to said leg portion, and a reentrant portion formed between said leg portion and said shank portion.

7. A bridge according to claim 6, wherein the` shank portion is disposedat an angle to the vertical, said leg portion being parallel to said shank portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 458,915 8/1891 McKelvey 249-8 1,628,3 16 5/ 1927 Heltzel 249-5 1,637,998 8/ 1927 Heltzel 249--9 X 2,180,842 1l/l939 Winding 249--8 X 2,260,447 lO/ 1941 Forbes 249-8 i. SPENCER ovERHoLsER, Primm Examiner. 

1. A CURB AND GUTTER FORM OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A CURB RAIL, A GUTTER RAIL POSITIONED IN SPACED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID CURB RAIL, A BRIDGE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO AND SECURED TO SAID GUTTER AND CURB RAILS, THE ENDS OF SAID BRIDGE BEING INSERTABLE WITHIN SAID CURB AND GUTTER RAILS, SAID BRIDGE INCLUDING A HOOK MEMBER DEPENDING THEREFROM FOR CARRYING A FACE RAIL, SAID HOOK MEMBER COMPRISING A SHANK PORTION SECURED TO THE BRIDGE IN THE VICINITY OF THE MEDIAL PORTION THEREOF AND DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL, THE LOWER END OF THE SHANK PORTION TERMINATING IN A BIGHT PORTION, SAID BIGHT PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND TERMINATING IN A LEG PORTION, SAID LEG PORTION BEING PARALLEL TO SAID SHANK PORTION; THE FACE RAIL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY C-SHAPED IN CROSSSECTION, THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID FACE RAIL EXTENDING OVER THE END OF SAID LEG PORTION, THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID RAIL EXTENDING AROUND AND ENGAGING SAID BIGHT PORTION, AND THE WEB PORTION OF THE FACE RAIL ABUTTING THE LEG PORTION, WHEREBY THE FACE RAIL IS DISPOSED AT THE SAME ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL AS THE SHANK PORTION. 